The first big problem

   I finally made it out of the Smokies without any problems....except one. One of the most important pieces of backpacking equipment are boots. A few years before starting my thru-hike I bought some heavy duty boots from R.E.I. The were mountain climbing boots, the kind built to last, the kind people strap crampons on so they can climb Mount Everest. The were also heavy, but I thought they would be just the thing for the Appalachian Trail. In the Smokies the sole of one boot began to peel away from the front tip of the boot. I could still walk, but the loose part would flap around and sometimes get caught on rocks or tree roots. It wasn't just annoying, it was getting to be dangerous! I had some small screws for emergency fixes on my backpack, so I screwed one into the sole and upper to try to hold it together. It didn't work. Duct tape did work for a little while. I knew that I needed to do something fast for footwear, and since these boots were heavy (too heavy!) I decided that I needed to get another pair. That would have to wait until I reached civilization. In the mean time, I flapped along down the trail, trying to be careful not to trip and fall.
   In trying to lose weight, not everything works. The original plan sometimes has to be modified until success is reached. I first stared trying to lose weight in the summer of 2005. After returning from a trip to the Holy Land I saw some photos and said, "who is that fat guy?!" I was 185 then. Several times since then I have gotten to 175, and a few times all the way down to 170. But I have always put the weight right back on. Just like examining my boots and realizing I needed to change, I decided to lose weight in a different way. It's slow, it's gradual, sometimes I lose ground, but I continue to make progress. Yesterday I ate a big salad for lunch and had tacos for supper (and popcorn for a snack). This morning I weighed in at 182.4 pounds. That means I have almost completely recovered from the pounds I put on over the weekend with the big wedding. I've already had a big salad for lunch today (and I am not hungry). I kept a few crackers for snacks later (only 12 calories per cracker!) Hopefully I will keep making progress!